For the record, FiOS and U-Verse DVR's have been pretty damn good, in my opinion. I've never have had TiVo, so, can't give comparison. But Charter DVR was horrid. I swear, it's graphics/colors/type face looked like Windows 3.1.

The last Cablevision DVR I had was a Scientific Atlanta model, and it was crap. But they've since upgraded to Samsung boxes, which other than the laggy remote response, are quite nice.

I'm looking at the Android NAS apps, and WHOA. The QNAP one came with the Note, and it's nice--you can share to it, and it's a simple quick way, even without RTFM, to save to a network share. The Black Armor one is laughable--half an hour and forum searching, and I don't even know what's *supposed* to happen, but I think it relies on an external agent, because they don't run apps modularly. I don't actually want to expose that NAS to the Internet, so it's just as well nothing works (don't put a link from your registration page to the wikipedia page about strong passwords and then turn out to have a problem with passwords with anything other than lowercase letters--all sorts of fail right there, including NO PASSWORD GUIDELINES OF YOUR OWN).

Lenovo/Iomega has two apps--one of which autodiscovered the relevant NAS, but can't browse to folders with spaces in the names, and one which had to be spoon fed the IP address, but can go wherever it wants. Neither app can be shared to, and I can't easily work out how to copy files from device to NAS with either anyway.

FAIL.

Of course the app that connects to my least used storage device would be the handiest. Does make sense that the NAS with the most flexible platform (the open source nerd at work recommended it strongly but in the end the Lenovo implementation of Twonky is better (and Plex/Web just doesn't make *sense*), so most of the media is there. the QNAP has two drive bays open, though, so it's where the future lives.

I've been very happy with my Synology NAS and it's various apps, including the nifty new Roku video streaming app. I've heard really good things about QNAP too, but I've never had one. I'd really like to see audio streaming and photos in the Roku app as well, though.

I spent a chunk of time yesterday trying to streamline the apps on the QNAP (I keep autocorrecting that to SNAP) to just what might be possibly useful. How many music apps do I need? I want something that can talk to the Apple ecosystem, but how fluent does it need to be? If I have a gallery app running on the internet, what do I really need internally?

Also, how can I possibly leverage security camera software? It keeps looking so tempting...

Do any of you guys have an electronic diary? Not an agenda or time management system, but a diary? I'm curious about what adults but non-writers would need from one, and what they use. Not really asking for software recs (though I might look at stuff that seems interesting), just wondering about the landscape, and y'all. I came across a Note diary app that looked interesting, although not necessarily practical: [link] I am tempted, just puz.

Just strolled through the house updating my technology owned Evernote notebook. Now trying to keep track of front and back pictures, so I remember what it looks like too (the NASes were starting to blur together) as well as what kind of battery it takes. I won't be lucky guessing camera remote control batteries forever.

How do you guys track things like that? With tech?

Do any of you guys have an electronic diary

I don't normally do a daily diary, but I use Evernote for trip diaries. I stated with my trip to Europe in 2010. I record daily notes, events, highlights, and expenses. It has worked out well.

...technology owned.... How do you guys track things like that?

For each major purchase I have a folder containing a scan of the receipt, picture of the data plate (must be clear enough to show make, model, and serial number), and a .txt file for any notes.

I keep meaning to transcribe it all into a summary spreadsheet for my renter's insurance records, but still haven't managed to get around to it.

For each major purchase I have a folder containing a scan of the receipt, picture of the data plate (must be clear enough to show make, model, and serial number), and a .txt file for any notes.

That's very smart. I really feel like I should do that, but I need someone to make me do it--one of those "if I'd been doing it, adding each thing as it came in would be easy, but going back and doing it for things I already have is such a chore..." Except I think it probably wouldn't take long at all, only I'm a procrastinator.

ita, I used to use Day One as a "diary" but I am the WORST at keeping a diary. I couldn't keep one at age 14. I have tried multiple times and I am just bad at it.

f I'd been doing it, adding each thing as it came in would be easy, but going back and doing it for things I already have is such a chore..."

The way to deal with that: start doing that with all purchases forward, plus maybe your last purchase or two. If you never do it for past purchases, you never do, but at least you have it going forward. Plus if you are like me, once it becomes substantial it will call to you to do it going backwards.

I have a documentation and serial number Evernote notebook.

Ideally, each item has a picture of its serial plate, a picture of its front, a picture of its battery, a copy of the PDF user manual embedded, and any notes of technical support transactions typed up. Sometimes receipts, not always--should definitely do that more. I did start it for insurance purposes, because I couldn't start to estimate what I have around the house, but it became so useful for wanting to be sure about what I owned when I was out of the house or just in the other room (since it's on every computer including work and every mobile device) that I expanded it bigger than I'd expected. It's the "killer app" for Evernote for me since I started it almost two years ago.

It even has IP addresses for devices that I access that way, like the NAS', and a few printscreens of the router setup and a network diagram of my home network that really needs updating.

I couldn't keep one at age 14. I have tried multiple times and I am just bad at it.

I'm trying to think of things like in five years trying to remember when I broke my ankle. Where would I look for that? Where would I record it, product obsolescence aside, that I could retrieve that sort of info?

I'm using the 9th of August as my test entry in a number of different applications, including the standard Android calendar and Evernote and S Note to see how they each feel.

eta:

start doing that with all purchases forward, plus maybe your last purchase or two

I'm enough of a dork that the two hours it took me to take the initial photos and look up the manuals was fun! I really liked that. The brief walkthrough I just did for a few batteries, face plates, and printer cartridges and to delete obsolete items was kinda fun too, since I'm 180 from TB, and find it easier to do bulk maintenance than keep up with adds and deletes in real time.